The present invention is directed to a playset for use with toy vehicles, such as spring powered toy vehicles. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward a playset having a fixed track section and a retractable track section, with the retractable track section arranged for storage within the fixed track section when not in use.
Playsets for toy vehicles, including spring powered toy vehicles, electrically or battery powered toy vehicles, and unpowered toy vehicles are known in the art. Many of these playsets typically include, for example, one or more track sections with a multitude of turns, loops, hills, crossovers, and/or other obstacles or features designed to enhance the play value of the toy vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,157 to Lambert discloses a toy racing set comprising a carrying case or housing 12, and a section of flexible track 26. The carrying case or housing 12 unfolds to form a portion of a track upon which a toy vehicle may run. The section of flexible track 26 may be attached directly to the housing 12 when the toy is in use, or may be detached from the housing 12 and stored inside the housing when the playset is not in use.
In one aspect, a playset for use with a wheeled toy vehicle includes a first track section defining a first part of a path for the toy vehicle, the first track section having an inlet end and an outlet end, and a second track section defining a second part of the path, where the second track section includes an inlet end and an outlet end and further includes a cavity. The first track section is shiftable between an extended position and a retracted position. The outlet end of the first track section is aligned with the inlet end of the second track section when the first track section is in the extended position such that the first and second portions of the path are contiguous. The first track section is disposed within the cavity of the second track section when the first track section is in the retracted position.
The first track section may be flexible, and the second track section may be rigid and further may be formed into a loop. The cavity may include an inlet generally adjacent the inlet end of the second track section, and a spring biased platform may be disposed adjacent the inlet of the cavity. The platform is arranged to bias a plane of the outlet end of the first track section to a position substantially coplanar with a plane of the inlet end of the second track section when the first track section is in the extended position.
The outlet end of the first track section may include a tab positioned to contact the platform when the first track section is in the extended position, and the plane of the first track section may be disposed above the tab. The tab may engage a stop defined adjacent the inlet end of the cavity, and the tab and the stop may be arranged to permit the tab to be released from the stop upon depressing the platform and/or the first track section. At least one internal guide may be provided to guide movement of the first track section within the cavity when the first track section is being shifted toward or away from the retracted position.
In another aspect, a playset for use with a wheeled toy vehicle includes a flexible first track section defining a first part of a path for the toy vehicle, a rigid and looped second track section defining a second part of the path, and a cavity formed in the second track section sized to permit the first track section to be shifted between an extended position and a retracted position. The first part of the path and the second part of the path are aligned when the first track section is in the extended position, and at least a major portion of the first track section is disposed within the cavity of the second track section when the first track section is in the retracted position.
In a further aspect, a playset comprises a wheeled toy vehicle, a flexible first track section defining a first path for the toy vehicle, a rigid second track section defining a second path for the toy vehicle, the second track section formed in a loop, and a cavity formed in the second track section arranged to permit sliding movement of the first track section between an extended position and a retracted position. The first path and the second path are aligned when the first track section is in the extended position, and a majority of the first track section is disposed within the cavity of the second track section when the first track section is in the retracted position. A spring biased platform may be provided, with the platform arranged to bias an outlet end of the first track section into a position in which the outlet end of the first path and an inlet end of the second path are coplanar when the first track section is in the extended position. A releasable stop carried by at least one of the first track section and the second track section is arranged to define at least in part the extended position.